Domain: microworkz.com
Stories and comments across the archive that link to microworkz.com.
Comments · 7
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Probably Be! (was Re:Probably not BeOS)
Look at the iToaster, a BeOS based machine, intended for the very non-tech market. Be has demonstrated a version of their OS for the floppy and embedded markets. It's easily customizable, and don't forget, Gasse promised to provide free copies to any PC manufacter willing to pre-install Be.
If I was looking to build one of these, Be is the place I'd go for the OS. The file system and boot speed are both reasons enough to choose Be over most any *NIX variant. Open source is not really a factor in this equation...stability is, the ability to survive a power cycle is, and speed of booting is.
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This is surprising?Why is the fact that richer people are more likely to use advancing technology than poorer people so surprising? In every major technological advance the rich people get it first. Telephones weren't a major component in lives for many years after they were invented. Televisions didn't come into domestic use until programmers started running out of rich people to sell to.
I hate to see Internet access drug right along with telephone and broadcast as needing to be subsidized by the government for everyone to benefit. Surely, with the advent of WebTVs, those $199 boxes from Microworkz, and even Free PCs you can get on the Internet somehow. The telephone system is crappy and rapidly approaching useless because of the complacency that government subsidies have brought on.
This also shouldn't be a racial issue. I will not be responsible if a black person chooses not to get on the Internet. This country (United States, and others I imagine) is about free choice, and we should not be attempting to show someone "the light" or magic of getting on the Internet. As we do, the message will sound more and more forced and not unlike religious zealots which will turn more people away then it will entice to join.
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This is a Y2K sales hit?It seems like alot of originizations are putting a freeze on both software and *hardware* purchases. Even if companies offer an Year 2000 warrenty/readiness statement, several companies only trust what they have certified themselves. A warrenty is nice but it still eats employee hours to arrange a RMA. I wouldn't be surprised if sales in spring 2000 is higher than normal. There also might be people holding out to see if the release of K7 or Merced will result in a price drops.
Btw, for those that have taken an interest in Microworkz from reading Slashdot, be sure to read the warrenty (anti-warrenty?) VERY CAREFULLY. The Microworkz sales staff will explain up and down that their machines are Y2k Compliant but when it comes to providing things in writting they state that they do NOT COVER "damages occurring to hardware and software as a result of the manufacturer's failure to comply with 'Year 2000' requirements." I am sure there are plenty of Comtrade customers that will testify to the fact that it doesn't matter what a sales person says over the phone, it is what is in writting that matters. Companies like Penguin Computing do have a customer friendly Year 2000 statement. But there is always the issue of if you have the time to deal with getting RMAs. And if you think that just because a company says they have tested their systems as being Y2K compliant that means it is a non-issue, think again. Gateway 2000 sales has made several promises yet several computers they shipped May of 1999 tested postive for the Crouch-Echlin Effect (and it effects Linux). GW2k still has yet to get back to us with the BIOS upgrade they promised over a *MONTH* ago! Over 12 employee hours lost sitting on the phone (mostly on hold) with GW2k just so they could save a couple cents by using an unbuffered real time clock on the motherboard. Unfortantly, several of the AMD resellers aren't making wise choices in what motherboards to use either.
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Isn't the iToaster only $199, not $299?
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Correct iToaster URL
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Re:It doesn't run LinuxI am willing to bet it won't even cut into the MS profit margin. It will be plauged with bugs, bad tech support and send consumers screaming. What it does do is give Linux a bad name if all of that happens, articles like this that the public can see, and then go buy one of these things will hurt Linux in the long run, say the box works OK (it won't be bug free it's version 1.0 of a hybrid OS)then everything might be fien, but if it's as buggy as most 1.0 products then MS can say "llok it runs Linux".
And for the conspiracy-minded, the company is based in the Seattle area. See their careers page.
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The Gotcha is...No CD-ROM drive. Check out this article from News.com. Only the next higher models have CD drives. To Microworkz's credit, the do include the following: 56K modem, sound, keyboard, and mouse. Anyone know how much memory they include for video, or is it a memory-sharing scheme?
Lastly, on the monitor debate, I'd say that the salesperson who moves this product had better inform the buyer that it doesn't come with a monitor, else s/he's going to have to do a refund in a few days, and no salesperson wants to do that.